Operadicals
Tone Åse (NO): Voice, live electronics, composition.
Franziska Baumann (CH): Voice, live electronics, composition.
Alex Nowitz (DE): Voice, live electronics, composition.
Sten Sandell (SE): Voice, piano, composition.
Formed through the initiative of Alex Nowitz at the DESIGNING VOICES festival in Berlin in 2021, OPERADICALS presents an innovative approach to vocal performance.
Sten Sandell, an accomplished composer and performer from Sweden, incorporates piano and organ into his performances, seamlessly integrating his voice into his artistic practice. In contrast, Tone Åse, Franziska Baumann, and Alex Nowitz explore the possibilities of their voices through gesture-controlled live electronics and diverse sampling techniques. This creative blend results in captivating audio and visual experiences. Their unique sonic landscapes are made possible in part by their custom-designed sensor-based instruments, tailored to their individual needs, and the refined performance techniques they’ve developed over the years. Franziska Baumann’s ‘Sensorglove,’ Alex Nowitz’s ‘Strophonion,’ and Tone Åse’s ‘Genki Wave Rings’ each require distinct movements to produce sounds and tones.
Building upon these innovations, the quartet skillfully weaves together polyglot vocal components, forming a breathtaking kaleidoscope of novel, abstract vocal landscapes. This artistic approach is at the core of the ensemble’s name, reflecting their exploration of contemporary radical opera.
A particularly appealing aspect of the Vocal Quartet is their commitment to sharing their expertise as vocal artists, composers, and educators with choirs. They actively collaborate with choirs, devising concepts to enhance their performances.
Samtalen/The conversation
New project in cooperation with dramaturg Tale Næss and Sound artist Eirik Bleikesaunet- based on conversations with 13 teenagers from Trondheim. A solo project combining the concert, the sound installation and the bodily performance. Ingrid Skanke Høsøien created the beautiful light design.
The project was supported by Arts Council Norway and Trondheim Kommune, and also a main activity in my research term as professor at department of music at NTNU. It was premiered by nyMusikk Trondheim @Verkstedhallen 12/6 -23.
Photos: Thor Egil Leirtrø, who also made a blogpost about the performance
Tone Åse & Sten Sandell
"Together with Sandell, there are unique conversations that no one has heard the likes of before and will not want to hear the likes of later. This is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience - a very exciting and unique one." Tor Hammerø, Nettavisen "On their long-awaited album, we get 11 sequences in the experimental landscape between jazz, improvisation, contemporary music and recitation. And they do it all the way with superior finesse and quality, so you just sit and gape at what flows out of the speakers." Jan Granlie, Salt Peanuts
Voice & live electronics
Department of music at NTNU, improvisation.
Det kunne vært deg/It could have been you from Tone Åse on Vimeo.
BOL&SNAH
BOL&SNAH is a cooperation between impro- trio BOL and Hans Magnus “Snah” Ryan, guitarist known for his outstanding work with among others the band Motorpsycho. The cooperation started as a project in 2010 ( At that time together with guitarist Stian Westerhus, the quintet released the cd “Numb, Number in 2012). The quartet has become a more permanent constellation, which released the album “So? Now?” november 2015- The album was re-released for distribution in Germany and Italy october 2016. ( Reviews on the BOL website)
Tone Åse Vocal & Electronic
Ståle Storløkken Keyboards
Tor Haugerud Drums
Hans Magnus “Snah” Ryan Guitar and Vocal
Bol
BOL is one of Tone Åse’s main projects, a trio that has existed since 1995.
Tone Åse – voice, electronics
Ståle Storløkken – keyboards, sampling
Tor Haugerud – drums, electronics
The Span in their Universe of Electronica is delightfully extensive, from the obsessive to the nearby transparent fragile. Svein Andersen, Aftenposten Oslopuls
More info:www.bol.no
Skylab Audiovision live at verkstedhallen -excerpts:
Åse/Strønen Duo
Åse/Strønen duo
“And what might tomorrow’s sound be, if you could hear it today? Enter a wormhole as you brave Norwegian Tone Åse’s new album Voxpheria (Gigafon), a semi-dissonant duo with percussionist Thomas Stronen. Åse is an unearthly, achingly soulful singer; the two improvise with raw, symbiotic melding of electronicized human and inanimate sound in expressive ‘singularity’. Åse cracks all category orientations apart and invents new language.” The New York City Jazz Record, June 2012
The Åse/Strønen duo-project “Voxpheria”, is the very special soundscape created when these electro-acoustic improvisers join forces: Åse, who through her use of electronics continually seeks to explore and expand the singer’s musical palette, from being the traditional bearer and interpreter of melody and text, to filling the role as a source of sound in an electronic universe, and everything in between. Strønen, who explores the drums and percussion by way of grooves and soundscapes, and utilizing them as a source for electronic processing. They improvise freely with a broad musical field of inspiration, ranging from techno / rock / pop / jazz, through contemporary music to Eastern traditional music.
With their highly personal voices and fingerspitzengefühl they manage to lure you in to their own unique musical universe without losing the thread that brings you safely back down to earth again.
Voxpheria is organic beat-conglomerates that´s messing around with playful linguistics in electronic disguise,transparent orchestration surrounding lyrical vocal lines, and bells in slow motion. And much more. Welcome.
Reviews “Voxpheria”➔
Trondheim Voices
Trondheim Voices is working with the endless possibilities that exists within vocal improvisation and wish to explore the edges of what can be done with the voice, to find new expressions and new music.The ensemble also works with a further extension and exploration through the use of custom made live electronics made by Asle Karstad. Through the last years they have developed techniques for site-specific improvised performances together with artist Ann Cathrin Hertling/Wild at Art. Consisting of 9 individual soloists, Trondheim Voices wishes to develop what happens when the unique quality of each singer is set to interact with eachother, and to find the collective sound and music
that will originate their actions.
Tone Åse is a former musical leader of Trondheim Voices (2006-2011), followed by Siri Gjære (2011-2016). The ensemble is now led by Sissel Vera Pettersen
Marilyn Mazur’s Future Song
Tone has been working with Marilyn and her band in various settings since the summer of 2007, this is a wonderful group of musicians, playing and improvising on Marilyns compositions
The happy meeting and cooperation with Marilyn has led to other projects, such as Marilyn Mazur composing for and performing with Trondheim Voices.